Peyton Manning Locker Room Quotes

ColtPower.com

08/23/2006

Peyton Manning answered some questions for the media on Tuesday about the upcoming matchup with the New Orleans Saints, their new quarterback Drew Brees, Colts backup quarterback Shaun King and much more!

(on how important it is for him to get familiar with the running backs during the preseason)
"I think anytime you can get game experience and game action with new players and new starters it is beneficial. Practice is one level of speed, but games are another, and there is even a difference in speed from the preseason to the regular season. But the more real-game situations I can get with Dom (Dominic Rhodes) and Joe (Joseph Addai), whether it's blitzes or audibles or different handoffs, everybody is different and you have to get adjusted to each running back and style just like throwing to a new receiver. So, as many repetitions I can get with both of those guys, the better off we will be."

(on QB-Shaun King)
"Shaun's a guy I've actually known through the years, going to Tulane there in New Orleans, and I've really kind of known him since our days in college. He's a guy with a lot of experience who has played in big games before and has been with different teams and different offenses and certainly has an understanding of what
Coach Dungy's philosophy is about, and that's kind of helped him in this transition even though it's a new offense. Shaun's a guy that brings some veteran presence to this team. He's a good guy and we're glad to have him."

(on the goal during training camp and preseason)
"The idea and what we're trying to do right now is get better. We talk about getting better in the preseason and getting better in training camp, and you feel like if you're getting better, hopefully the wins should follow. One thing we've always done around here is take care of the little things. Sometimes the little things are boring and not real exciting, but if you stop doing those little things and stop paying attention to the little details, that's when you're going to start losing more games. So, if you keep paying attention to the little things, hopefully the big things will take care of themselves."

(on if the wins and losses in preseason bothers the team)
"I think last year can prove what a preseason record, how relative that can be, to a real game. I do think in the preseason, sometimes you may sacrifice a score in order to get looks at certain plays and certain schemes and certain players. I know the coaches don't like it at all, the fact that we've lost eight in a row in the preseason. It's not something I think anyone is real happy about or proud about, but as long as we are improving in certain areas, I think that is one of the main things, and hopefully we can come out of it healthy. But hopefully we can get a win down in Jackson this Saturday night."

(on if looks forward to playing in Mississippi)
"I do. Obviously, I have great ties to the state of Mississippi and of course to the Saints. I have some family that will be there. Most of my family went to Ole Miss and my dad played a lot of his college games in this stadium, in Jackson Memorial Stadium. So I'm excited to be playing there, it will be my first time playing there."

(on if he has spoken to Saints QB-Drew Brees)
"I talked to Drew, and I know my dad has talked to Drew down there in New Orleans and tried to help him get acclimated. I'm happy for Drew, that he's back and he's healthy. Obviously, I keep up with the Saints, still, and their players. That's a long, tough recovery there, from that shoulder injury. It sounds like he's throwing the ball well, throwing with a lot of confidence. I know the fans down there are excited to have him as kind of part of the new, New Orleans Saints, with the addition of their new head coach (Sean Payton) and of course Reggie Bush, and Drew is a big part of that transition."